FUSION NASI KEBULI

Fusion Nasi kebuli

Fusion Nasi Kebuli is Indonesia’s unique take on Arabic Pilaf, reflecting the strong influence of the Arab descent community in Indonesia. Nasi Kebuli, a beloved dish, bears a striking resemblance to our own pulavs and the renowned Mandi Rice from Saudi Arabia. Traditionally, it involves cooking fragrant rice in a flavorful Yakni, whether it’s a chicken or mutton variant. However, the Sindhi community in Indonesia has introduced a delightful twist to Nasi Kebuli. They serve fragrant rice alongside a spicy, rich broth and a fiery sambal, drawing inspiration from the Hadhrami community’s culinary traditions, where broth is served on the side. It’s an intriguing fusion of flavors, and even though it might deviate from the traditional Nasi Kebuli, we’ve come to know and love it by this name over the years. Let’s just call it “Fusion Nasi Kebuli” and savor its delicious blend of influences.

**Ingredients:**
– 4 whole chicken legs with bone
– 2 liters of water
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 1 star anise
– 1 knotted Pandan leaf
– 4 cloves
– 4 bashed cardamom pods
– 1 stalk of bashed lemongrass (only the bottom hard stalk)
– 2 cups of basmati rice
– 2-3 tablespoons of ghee
– 1 sliced onion
– 2 bay leaves
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 1 star anise
– Salt to taste
– 2 teaspoons of garam masala
– 6 fresh red chilies
– 1-inch piece of fresh turmeric
– 1-inch piece of ginger
– 1 tablespoon of coriander powder
– 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
– 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
– 2 cardamom pods
– 1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
– 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
– 2-3 tablespoons of oil
– 1 heaped tablespoon of thinly sliced garlic
– 1 cup of coconut milk
– 1 cup of shredded cabbage
– Bird eye chilies (optional)
– Potato crisps
– Fried cashews
– Raisins
– Lime for garnish

**Instructions:**
1. In a large pot, boil the chicken legs in 2 liters of water along with the cinnamon stick, star anise, knotted Pandan leaf, cloves, bashed cardamom, and bashed lemongrass. Simmer until the chicken is tender.

2. Remove the chicken and strain the broth (Yakni). Set the broth aside.

3. Wash and rinse 2 cups of basmati rice.

4. In a separate pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons of ghee. Add the sliced onion and sauté until pale golden.

5. Add bay leaves, a cinnamon stick, and a star anise to the sautéed onion.

6. Use some of the Yakni to cook the rice. Season the rice with salt and 2 teaspoons of garam masala. Keep the rice warm.

7. To make the broth, grind the following ingredients into a fine paste: fresh red chilies, fresh turmeric, ginger, coriander powder, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, grated nutmeg, and desiccated coconut.

8. Heat a separate pot and add 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Add the thinly sliced garlic and sauté until pale gold.

9. Sauté the paste in the oil until the oil releases.

10. Add about 4 cups of the Yakni broth to the sautéed paste. Once it boils, add 1 cup of coconut milk. Keep stirring.

11. Finally, add the shredded chicken and about 1 cup of shredded cabbage. You can also add few whole bird eye chilies at this point if desired. Simmer for 10 minutes.

12. To assemble, put some rice in a bowl, top it with the chicken broth. Add potato crisps, fried cashews, and raisins.

13. Garnish with a squirt of lime.

Enjoy your meal!

NASI KUNING JAWA

NASI KUNING JAWA

Nasi kuning(or yellow rice) comes from the regions of jawa. Traditionally made during festivals and especially birthdays.
In case it is made for a birthday, rice cooked with turmeric, herbs and coconut milk will be packed into a cone shaped mould and then inverted onto a base of rice in the form of a circle . The rice is then surrounded by various other food items, such as tempe( fermented soya cake), chicken, fish, fresh basil and cucumber. The person whose birthday it is slices off the top of the cone onto a plate without the rice disintegrating.. I  have done a miniature nasi kunning plate to show you all.

Normally at home, we just put the  rice, sprinkle some fried peanuts and fried onions, and surround with tempe, chicken in red sauce or tofu potato in red sauce, and sayur acar.( pronounced achaar) Fresh sweet basil is a must along with cucumber slices. Best eaten with hand.
We can call this an Indonesian thali. Recipe is slightly long, but fairly easy to make. Do try it and enjoy.

YELLOW RICE
Soak 2 cups of jasmine rice for 30 mins.
Drain.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add 1 stick cinnamon, 2 fresh bay leaves, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 1 stalk of lemon grass( only bottom white part, bashed)
.
#( incase you don’t gave fresh herbs, use star anise, tej pata and cinnamon)

Saute for a few mins and add drained rice.
Add 100 ml thick coconut milk
And  100ml of water
Mix well, add 2 tbsps grated fresh turmeric and salt to taste.
When liquid dries up, transfer rice to a steamer and steam for 15 to 20 mins. Done. Keep warm.

AYAM MERAH( RED CHICKEN)
300 gms of boneless chicken..cubed
2 tomatoes .. cut into quarters
12 shallots
4 garlic pods..do not cut
4 garlic pods cut fine.
4 red chillies.
2 kaffir lime leaves
Lime juice
Salt and sugar to taste.

Take a pan, add chicken, tomatoes, whole shallots, whole garlic, and red chillies. Add 1/4 cup of water, cover and cook till everything is soft.
Remove chicken and keep aside.
Coarsely grind the cooked tomatoes, onions, garlic and red chillies.

Heat 2 tbsps of oil
Add chopped garlic and 2 kaffir lime leaves. Saute for few mins
Add the red paste and cook till oil seperates.
Add the chicken back, season with salt and a little sugar.
Lastly add  a tbsp  of lime juice.
Keep aside.

TEMPE ORIK
300 gms tempe, cut into small batons
( can use potato or paneer)
Deep fry and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan
Add 6 sliced garlic pods( slice, do not chop)
10 sliced shallots
1 inch bashed ginger
2 green chillies, cut at a slant
2 red chillies cut at a slant
Saute for few mins, till onions turn golden brown.
Add the fried tempe( or potato or paneer)
Stir fry
Add 2 tbsp of kecap manis( or honey)
1 tbsp tamarind paste.
Salt to taste
Stir quickly and shut flame.
Keep aside.

SAYUR ACAR( VEGETABLE ACHAR)
1 carrot.
5 french beans
1 cucumber, unpeeled and seeds removed
( cut all 3 above mentioned vegetables into medium batons)
10 shallots cut into 2

Grind together with little water
3 roasted candlenuts or 4 cashews
1 inch pc  fresh turmeric
1 inch ginger
4 garlic pods
4 shallots.

Heat oil in a pan, add paste and saute well.
Add carrots, french beans, shallots, and cucumber…saute well, add 1/4 cup water and cook till vegs are done,and no water remains. Vegs should retain  a bite. Shut fire and add salt, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp of vinegar.  mix well.
Done. Keep aside..

OTHER INGREDIENTS
sliced cucumbers
Thai basil leaves
Dried or roasted peanuts
Fried onions.

Assembling
Take a plater, line with a  banana leaf.
Pile rice in the center.
Surround with tempe orik, cucumber slices, red chicken,  sayur acar, basil leaves, sprinkle peanuts and fried onions . And serve.
Can serve red chillie sambal too with some fryums.

AYAM SERUNDENG/ FRIED CHICKEN

AYAM SERUNDENG

Se..run..deng, refers to crispy floss. Normally the residue left behind after boiling chicken which has been cooked with ground spices and herbs. The chicken is removed after its tender and the  stock is further cooked till all water evaporates…Reverse cooking😊. This residue is then deep fried or sauted  untill its crisp.
Normally this is sprinkled over the fried chicken and served with steamed jasmine  rice, chillie sambal and some lalapan( salad)
We all relish  eating  this with our hands, as  the Indonesians do..Eating food with the hands is much favoured here.
Now, crisp floss itself can be made differently using 2 or 3 main ingredients..
Coconut, galangal or candlenuts.
Today I will share the coconut and galangal one .

I whole chicken with skin , cut into 10 pieces. Or use thigh, breast, anything.

3 kaffir leaf pairs.
3 fresh bay leaves
2 stalks of lemongrass…cut into 4 to 5 pieces, bashed.
60 grams galangal …grated.
1 bowl grated /scraped coconut.. about 150 grams.
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp mushroom seasoning or msg
2 tsps or to taste salt.

FOR THE PASTE..GRIND FINELY
2 inch piece ginger
2 inch piece fresh turmeric
10 shallots
  8 garlic cloves
5 candlenuts or cashewnuts
1 tbsp corriander seed powder.
1 tsp white pepper powder
  1/4 cup oil


Take a sauce pan or wok,  add the ground paste and saute till fragrant. After 5 mins add the fresh herbs kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, lemon grass.
Saute for a while.
Add 1 tsp sugar
About 2 tsps salt.
1 tsp mushroom seasoning or msg

Add the chicken pieces, mix well and add  2 cups of water..bring to a boil.
Add the grated galangal and mix well.

Once mixed properly, add grated coconut.

and let chicken cook completely

The water should reduce to a thick gravy.

Remove chicken pieces and keep aside.
Cook the gravy till really dry.

Heat oil in a wok, flash fry the cooked chicken .

In the remaining oil, add the semi dried gravy.. and fry on medium heat till light golden.. Remove and keep aside. This is the floss or Serundeng.
Stir constantly so the semi solids don’t burn.
○ It took me about 15 mins to fry the floss, when the bubbles started disappering while floss was being fried and the colour was golden, I removed it on a strainer. It will be slightly soft, but should become  crisp upon cooling. This can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and used as a topping .

To serve,  put the chicken on a platter, sprinkle floss/ serundeng on top.

We enjoy eating this with steamed rice.
Labu siam ( chayote) stir fried, some spicy sambal, and a lalapan( salad) of cucumber and fresh lemon basil.
Try eating with your hand and relish every bite.

AUR JI BHAJI..SINDHI STYLE.

Aur ji Bhaji ( sindhi style)

This recipe , is of  a delicious stew made sindhi style. A  very very simple and easy recipe.
Today I was craving this, so made it. Aur( rai, mustard seeds ) imparts a very good flavour to this dish , hence the name. Feel free to use any vegetables in this preparation. Though I like using the basic, potato, carrot, french beans, whole shallots and wadi. Here I would like to point out that we don’t get wadi in Jakarta,  and though I can bring them from India, am not really fond of the dry wadis. So since years I have been  making fresh moong dal  kachoris and adding  to the stew at the last moment just before serving.
Now about Authentic recipes. Normally an AUR JI bhaji, will be differently cooked in different houses, there are sindhis who don’t use any tomatoes in the preparation and there are some like me who grew up eating this dish based on a tomato gravy. Have tried making both ways and both ways are delicious. So I cannot really say which of the 2 is authentic. 
Today I will share the tomato based aur ji bhaji.
You can serve this with rice or with phulkas. I love eating this with chapati torn in pieces and added to a bowl of aur ji bhaji..yummm.

Soak 1/4 cup dhuli hui moong dal for 2 hours, drain and grind with minimum water, add a piece of ginger and 1 green chillie while grinding. Season with salt. Mix  well.

Fry teaspoons of the mixture to get about 16 fresh wadi/ kachori.Keep aside.

Blanch 2 tomatoes, discard the skin.
Put in a mixer jar along with one roughly cut tomato.and a small piece of ginger.
Grind and strain the juice. Discard seeds.

Put tomato puree in a sauce pan, add about 3 cups of water, and vegetables.
1 carrot cut into batons
1 peeled and cut potato
About 15 peeled shallots
4 french beans(  cut each into 3 or 4)
Bring to a rolling boil.
Add 1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsps red chillie powder.
Salt to taste.
Once vegetables are tender, add a slurry of wheatflour.  Till the gravy is thick.
( 1 used about 1.5 tbsps in 1/2 cup of water).
Add freshly cut corriander leaves and let simmer while we make the tadka.

Heat 2.5 tbsps of oil in a small pan
Add 1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1/4 tsp hing
2 sprigs of tender curry leaves
1.5  heaped tbsp of finely minced garlic

Saute till fragrant, add to simmering gravy. Done.

To serve..
Add few kachoris in a bowl and pour hot gravy over them. Enjoy

Pepes Ayam aka Indonesian steamed chicken.

PEPES AYAM

I have been wanting to share this amazing recipe for sometime now.
PEPES refers to food, mainly chicken, fish or tofu, marinated in spices and steam cooked in  banana leaves.( something like the parsi patra ni machi) The marinade will include fresh herbs, and mostly lemon basil, which is the star here. Some tart flavours like green  tomatoes or BLIMBING WULUH( Also known as bilimbi, tree sorrel . This is an edible sour fruit.) , truely bring out the freshness of this dish.
So these pepes are normally eaten hot with steamed rice. . You can either wrap them in rectangles and seal the edges with a toothpick, or pack them like pyramids. Will add a video in comments section.

Fun facts..
Kemangi or lemon basil is a very close cousin of our tulsi.
Its mostly served in a lalapan, which is a raw salad consisting of torn cabbage leaves, green or red tomato wedges and Daun kemangi..these are eaten raw with any cooked chicken or meat dish.

Today I have used both..green tomato as well as Blimbing wuluh. Just for your idea. The main idea is to add tartness to the pepes.


Ingredients

1 chicken  with bones cut into small pcs
( about 700 gms) I cut the chicken into 12 pieces…

Marinate with  juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp salt and  1/2 tsp of black pepper.

Keep aside for 15 mins.

CHOP AND GRIND TOGETHER

10 pods garlic
12 shallots
8 candlenuts or about 10 cashewnuts
6 red chillies
1 inch piece of fresh turmeric
1 inch piece of galangal.
1/4 cup oil.
Blend untill its a fine paste.

Now take a wok, add this paste and another 1 to 2 tbsps of oil, saute on a low heat till cooked, fragnant and colour changes from yellow to reddish brown.
Cool this paste. Which will now look dry.
Once cool, mix in the chicken along with the marinade. Add some salt, msg( if using) and  coat the chicken pieces nicely.  Add the spring onions and all the basil leaves, mix properly . Ready to pack.

OTHER INGREDIENTS ..
Big squares of banana leaves
2 to 3 stalks of spring onions cut into chunks
Some lemon grass, bashed and cut slantingly.
Some fresh bay leaves.
And lots of Daun kemangi aka lemon basil or thai basil . These basil leaves are small and very fragrant. About 50 gms of leaves and tender stem.
2 or 3 green tomatoes cut into wedges.
( or use blimbing wuluh aka blimbi fruit)
Bird eye chillies as needed.


To assemble.

Take 2 sheets of banana leaves one on top of the other( check comments section for photos).
Put one or 2 fresh bay leaf
Add sliced lemon grass, top with chicken pieces, along with spring onions, basil leaves.
Again top with green tomato wedges and some bird eye chillies.
Pack the banana leaf in such a way that there should be no leakage of juices.

Steam these packets for about 30 to 40 mins.

Have hot with steamed jasmine rice.

You can make indivual packets with one or 2 pieces of chicken inside.

I got 6 packets of pepes.





Sindhi fote bhugi khichdi with fusion potato sabji.

Sometimes the simplest of food can bring such comfort. For me, my comfort soul food is sindhi fote bhugi khichdi, accompanied by a potato sabji, crispy brinjal or karela and a piece of fried fish. Being a Sindhi, I have grown up  eating delicious simple food cooked by my mom. Sindhi food is really simple and easy to put together.
When I got married,  every sunday our food was FOTE BHUGI KHICHDI( khichdi cooked with cardamom)  methi patata, dahi and fryums.. it was  the family sunday meal. Over time I changed the methi aloo to a fusion aloo sabji( aka malaysian and Bengali fusion).  Now its  cooked twice a month😊But its a meal I look forward to . Please do try this combination.

2 cups rice
1/2 cup split green moong dal( with skin)
2 tsps freshly ground elaichi powder
2 tsps shah jeeri
2 tsps salt
2 to 3 tbsps oil

Mix the dal and rice , wash well and soak for an hour.
Drain out the water.
Heat a pan, add oil, jeeri and elaichi powder . Once fragrant, add the rice and dal mix.  Saute for few mins, Add salt and enough water to cook the khichdi. We want each grain seperate. Not a mushy khichdi.
Done.
Ps…I cook the khichdi with enough water to cover, once water dries up I shift the rice to a steamer. And steam cook for 20 mins.

Aloo sabji
3 boiled, peeled and cubed potatoes.
1 small  onion sliced
1 small onion chopped finely
2 medium tomatoes..finely chopped
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic.
1/2 tbsp paanch phoran( mix mustard seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds, onion seeds, saunf).
1 sprigs..about 10 curry leaves.
2 heaped tsps curry powder( I used malaysian baba brand)
2 tsps red chillie powder.
Salt to taste
Corriander ..finely chopped.

Heat 2 to 3 tbsps mustard oil in a pan, add panch phoran, followed by curry leaves.
Now add minced garlic and ginger., saute. Add the diced onions and saute till onions become translucent.
Add chopped tomatoes, curry powder, salt, red chillie powder  and mix well. Add the cubed potatoes and sliced onion. Mix and finally add corriander leaves. Done.

For the fish, I took one boneless fillet of  snapper.  Marinated in turmeric and salt, gave a lime rub and shallow fried in oil.

Remove and sprinkle generously with red chillie powder, corriander seed powder, amchoor.
This is a typlcal Sindhi  sprinkle mix for fried fish or  fried arbi.

SINDHI PHOTE BHUGO CHICKEN / CARDAMOM CHICKEN.

SINDHI PHOTE BHUGO CHICKEN.

Today’s recipe is SINDHI PHOTE BHUGO CHICKEN, cardamon/Elaichi chicken.
After someone asked me for an authentic sindhi recipe for phote bhuga TEEVARN( mutton), I went straight to the source of my sindhi recipes, MY MOTHER. While I was on a short trip to India. Sadly Mom’s health has detoriated as well as her memory. But she immediately could recall this recipe, and told me. In fact I asked her if we could add tomatoes, she said not at all.😊 so this recipe is more like a stew with a strong cardamon flavour and peppery undertones.A very light on the tummy dish.

Memories of my mom making this super fragrant dish( phote bugo teevarn) on sundays for my grandparents are so clear. My mom is a masterchef of sindhi delicacies, but sadly cannot cook any longer at the grand age of 90. But I am so thankful to have learnt most of my sindhi cooking from her.

Pls try it and have this accompanied by parathas and tawa toasted bread. The simplicity of this dish is what makes it so special.
The last time I made it was years ago for my mother in law , but with mushrooms. ( vegetarians please note).

500 gms chicken with bone( 6 good size pieces) make slashes on the chicken.
2 tsps of freshly ground cardamon with skin
4 to 5 whole cardamons..lightly bashed.
2 tsps freshly ground black pepper.
1 tsp shah jeera
1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
1/4 tsp garam masala
1.5 tsps salt.
3 cups water.
Finely cut corriander leaves with stems.
3 tbsps oil
2 tbsps Wheat flour mixed with 1/2 cup cold water.
( DO NOT USE CORNFLOUR).
Heat oil in a pressure cooker, and add the shah jeera, whole cardamons and the powdered cardamom. After a few seconds add the chicken and start sauting for at least 10 mins. The cardamom will start sticking to the chicken, keep going. Now add the corriander leaves, black pepper powder, turmeric and salt, mix for another 5 mins. The combined flavours of corriander, pepper and cardamom are amazing. Add the water and close lid. After 3 whistles, shut the flame and let the cooker cool down.
Open the lid and bring the chicken to a boil. Add the wheat flour slurry and simmer for a few more minutes.
Serve hot, sprinkled with black pepper and corriander.
Serve with parathas, and tawa toasted bread.or pao.

Ayam Rendang

Ayam Rendang..
Rendang, which means slow cooked food, mostly beef which is cooked for hours on a very slow fire., but chicken or even jackfruit cooked on a slow fire tastes as good, this recipe is from the   the west Sumetra regions of  Indonesia. The food from these regions is normally known as Padang food, made by the minangkabao people.
Padang restaurants are popular all over the country.
They do not offer you a menu to choose from, once you are seated, a waiter will bring out   dozens of small dishes filled with various dishes. Customers take only what they want from this array, and they pay only for what they take. Usually the plates can be  about 10 to 12 varieties of food. Curries, barbequed meats, greens etc.
This food is normally eaten with hands.
And steamed rice is served.

This was a dish I fell in love with when I moved to Indonesia 37 years ago, the taste was fabulous and a little familiar to my Indian taste buds😊

My husband would get this chicken from a popular padang restaurant called sari bundo, and we would really enjoy this on many sundays.

Do try this home made version .

Indonesian chicken curry

8 pcs of chicken.( I use thigh pcs with bone)
Make cuts on the chicken to soak up the gravy.
I potato cut into 8 pcs
2 pandan leaves tied in a knot
1/2 cup fresh coconut grated, and sauted till semi dry.
Coconut milk( I used tetra pack) 200 ml
1 stalk of lemongrass( bottom white part only, bashed)
2 fresh bay leaves
5 cloves
1 pc of cinnamon
2 tbsps tamarind paste.
( I normally soak about half kg tamarind in some hot water, squeeze and strain the paste, pour into ice cube moulds. Store in the freezer and use as required, here I used 2 cubes)
1 tbsp of jaggery.

To be ground into a paste
10 shallots
5 garlic pods
1 inch pc of ginger
5 fresh red chillies
5 dry red kashmiri chillies
6 pcs of candlenuts or cashews
1 tsp white peppercorns
1 tsp corriander seeds
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg.

Heat abt half cup oil in a pan, and add bay leaves, lemon grass, cinnamon , cloves, pandan leaves and saute till herbs and spices release thier fragrance.
Add grated coconut and ground paste.
Saute till oil is seen on the sides. Add tamarind, jaggery and salt.
Also add the chicken and potato pcs.
Saute for 10 mins, add few tbsps of water and saute again. Repeat process about 5 times.
Finally add coconut milk and some water.
Stir, cover and cook for about 20 mins till oil floats on top, and a very thick gravy is left.
This rendang is always slow cooked and tastes fabulous with white rice or layered parathas.

You can even cook till no gravy is left, and then grill the chicken to get Ayam bakar rendang.
Enjoy.

Roti jala/ lacy crepes with chicken curry

Roti jala or lacy crepes as they are called have Malaysian origins, normally served with a curry, these crepes are relished at weddings, gatherings and are even sold as a street food. These pretty looking crepes are usually made from a batter of flour, eggs and coconut milk. The batter is drizzled over a hot pan in a pretty lace like pattern. The crepes cook very fast, in under a minute.

Having lived in south east asia for the last 34 years, my cooking has definetely imbibed the asean flavours. I love to mix and match flavours often resulting in fusion cusine. Take for instance curry powder, available all over the world, but my favourite one comes from malaysia. Well all said and done, my family relishes my food and does not complain, so it encourages me to experiment more.

Today the recipe I will share with you is an eggless version of roti jala with an addition of rice flour, I found this gives a better texture to the crepe as well as making it crispier.

I will also share a recipe for chicken curry, which is a fusion curry, using indian spices as well as malaysian curry powder. This type of cooking gives the curry a familiar taste for indian palete. The use of coconut milk and whole spices like corriander seeds, cumin seeds and cinnamon is common to south Indian and south east asian cooking, especially malaysia, singapore and Indonesia.

Do try this meal at home. Easy to make and even prettier to look at.

Roti jala/ lacy crepes

Ingredients

75 gms flour

25 gms rice flour

1/ 2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp salt

100 ml coconut milk( I used the ready to use tetra pack)

150 ml water

Coconut oil to brush the pan

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients together, and slowly add water and coconut milk to make a smooth batter. Let the batter rest for 15 mins.

Strain the batter into the jala mould.

Now heat a nonstick pan with oil abd slowly drizzle a little of the batter onto it , forming a pretty lacy pattern.

Now let it cook for a minute, do not flip it over, fold it inwards from 2 sides

Next, roll it neatly and remove onto a serving platter

Proceed to make the remaining crepes, you dont need to keep brushing the pan. The yield from this recipe should be 10 to 12 roti jalas.

Chicken curry/ vegetable /paneer/tofu curry

Ingredients

400 gms boneless chicken thigh cubed or boiled mix vegetables/ tofu/paneer

1 big onion ..finely chopped

1 big tomato…thinly sliced

1 tbsp garlic..finely chopped

1 tbsp grated ginger

2 tbsps curry powder( I use malaysian baba brand )

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

6 cloves..pierced into a shallot( for easy removal)

1 stick cinnamon

1 tbsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste.

100 ml coconut milk

2 tbsps coconut oil

Method

Heat oil in a pan, and add fennel, cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. Saute till fragrant, now add ginger, garlic and chopped onions.

When the onions become limp abd light golden, add the tomatoes, curry powder, red chili powder and salt..mix well

At this point add chicken, cover and cook till tender.

Vegetarians can add boiled vegetables, tofu or paneer.

Next, add half a cup of water and the coconut milk, simmer upto 10 mins. Garnish with fried onions and corriander leaves.

To serve, take crepe and pour some curry on the top.

Enjoy.

# roti jala moulds are available online in most countries

Try amazon or tokopedia.